The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-12-16
MashingtOn's Nerve.


j was conversing with a gallant mem
Der Of the Army OF Northern Virginia
and q member Of the late Gen. Robert
E, Lees staff last week, and Maj. An
DIRE and Gen. Washington's iron will
and immovable resolution were the
subjects OF his remarks. The family OF
the officer referred to and that Of Wash.
ington had been very intimate in the
past. and he had, therefore, peculiarly
good opportunities for information. II
cannot" said he, fail to admire, ard
yet-if might dare say 80 of SO uuap-
proachably great and good a man-oc-
casionally 10 wonder az and possibly
question the wisdom OF his iron resolu-
tion and absolutely infexlble will when
1t was once thoroughly made up on any
subjec..-His set mouth, firm chin, and
iron jaw by no means belied his charac-
ter. The man, so far as mortal man
could know or weigh his mind and
heart, was simply marble. History re-
veals, in part at least, the superhuman
efforts that were made to secure miti-
cation of Maj. Andres sentence by
powerful friends on both sides and how
the great general could withstand the
influences brought to bear upon him by
those OF bis own party provoked much
criticism at the time. The same
French general, Lafayette, who sat on
the court martial which sentenced An
DIRE, had handed to Gen. Washington a
commission from King Louis as lieu
tenant, general in the French army and
vice admiral of the French fleet ana af-
terward commanded the Continental
troops and draw Virginia levies In the
campaign around Richmond and along
the RsPpahannock during the raid on
Virginia by the traitor Arnold. won.
der what would have been thought In
our day il during the late war an ac-
credited agent of Louis Napoleon had
brought commission in the French
army and navy to Jefferson Davis or
Gen. Lee, and il such an agent or for
eign general had been given a seat upon
the confederate court-mRrtial trying a
French spy But then, times have
greatly changed, and an American at
Victoria's jubilee could gaze with
equanimi.y upon the costly marble
tomb Of Andre in Westminster Alb
bey, beneath which England sought to
hide the gibbet at Tappan."
" In private affsirs,'' the major COL
tihued, "the same characteristics are
equally noticeable. You know it was
the fashion in those days for people
about to make a journey to pack up
their movable valuables, such as plate.
jewelry, ETC., in the heavy numbering
travelling coaches CT the day. Mar
shall, then owner of our present Mar
shall's Landing, on the the Potomac be-
low Washington ard the estate so
named, was about to make a tourney.
and the family coach Was for some rea-
son packed over night. A slave of
Gen. Washington's from his Mount
Vernon estate-a blacksmith, worth
from $1,000 10 81, 800 at the prices of
those days-brOke into the packed-up
vehicle and committed a keavy robbery.
Tie severest penalty, l believe, to
which the robber could be sentenced,
under the laws of Virginia, was that
the condemned man should receive two
'Iicks' or blows from every slave-man,
woman and child-upon the estate to
which he belonged. From the number
of human chattels then belonging to
Mount Vernon the execution of such a
sentence meant certain and cruel death,
ana yet Gen Washington unhes:tatinp-
lY passed the sentence- :,